The Walking Dead: Every Season 3 Episode Ranked Worst To Best

One of the more surprising elements of this season was the reintroduction of Merle Dixon, a character who, like his younger brother, has no comic counterpart and hadn't been seen since the start of the very first season (unless you count Daryl's season two hallucinations).

This Sorrowful Life features the character's final appearance on the show, as he kidnaps Michonne with the intention of giving her up to The Governor and stopping the coming war. Once a vicious right-hand of the Woodbury leader, Merle spends the episode trying to do something worthwhile.

But it's not that easy. Brought to life wonderfully by Michael Rooker, Merle eventually loses his nerve, lets Michonne go, and tries to kill The Governor himself.

An unpredictable and surprisingly moving episode, This Sorrowful Life has Merle go out in a blaze of glory, and is later put down by an anguished Daryl in one of the show's most iconic and heartbreaking scenes.